Page 73 - (DK) The Business Book

LIGHTING THE FIRE 71

See also: Creativity and invention 72–73 ■ Organizing teams and talent 80–85 ■ Make the most of your talent 86–87 ■
Organizational culture 104–09 ■ Avoid groupthink 114 ■ The value of diversity 115

of belonging. Maslow believed
that there is a hierarchy of human
needs; once we have met the most
basic of needs—the physiological
ones, such as hunger and thirst—
we progress to the next: security.
When these needs are satisfied,
we move to the third basic need:
a sense of belonging. Once this
is met, we will proceed toward
increasing self-esteem through
achievement, and ultimately
toward self-actualization, by using
our inner talents with creativity.
When Maslow’s theory is will increase an individual’s security Cisco Systems uses workspaces that
applied to the workplace, working and encourage collaborative, can be transformed from small groups
in groups and gaining a sense of creative, work—as US management of work pods to large open spaces for
conferences. Cisco aims to be flexible for
belonging make employees more expert Ken Blanchard said, “none of
connectivity and a sense of community.
effective. With the need to belong us is as smart as all of us.” In turn,
already addressed, individuals are commitment toward a project
able to focus on other things, such creates ties that strengthen the bond the “Connected Workplace”, which
as a desire for achievement and the between individuals and, ultimately, offers employees great flexibility in
practicing of inner talents. In this the company’s communal purpose. working practice and environment,
way, the movement through the while ensuring that they always
stages of satisfying needs can Places to belong feel part of the Cisco community.
benefit a company. Free from Great organizations recognize the Business success is rarely
anomie, groups are places where value of teams and the importance achieved through individual genius,
human beings, and therefore ideas, of the working environment. Cisco and the greatest leaders are those
can flourish. Teams that are Systems, the Internet infrastructure who recognize the value of
carefully chosen and supervised company, has created what it calls maximizing talent through teams. ■

Abraham Maslow The American psychologist you can be.” Contrary to many
Abraham Maslow was born in of his peers, Maslow focused on
1908. He grew up in Brooklyn, the positive side of mental health.
New York, and earned a degree, The hierarchy of human needs,
masters, and PhD in psychology which Maslow outlined in “A
from the University of Wisconsin. Theory of Human Motivation”,
Maslow started his career as a remains influential even today
teacher, working at Brooklyn in fields as diverse as social
College from 1937 to 1951, after work and management theory.
which he became chair of the
psychology department at Key works
Brandeis University, US. Here he
met Kurt Goldstein, the originator 1943 “A Theory of Human
of the idea of self-actualization, Motivation”
and Maslow became fascinated 1954 Motivation and Personality
with the path of human 1962 Toward a Psychology
development toward “being all of Being